Universe Today Podcast

Earlier this year, NASA announced 4 new Discovery-class missions that they were considering. These are low-cost, rapidly-built missions that will help scientists understand some mystery in astronomy and planetary science. One of these missions is called Trident, and it’s going to be targeting the Planet Neptune. And more specifically, it’s going to be providing close up pictures of its largest moo...

In this week's questions show, I answer what would happen if a supernova exploded right beside a black hole, how do we know that it's impossible to travel faster than the speed of light, can we hitch a ride on an interstellar object, and more... 00:00 Start 00:17 What if a supernova exploded right beside a black hole? 03:09 Is interstellar travel just too difficult? 05:25 How do we know FTL is imp...

Support Universe Today Podcast

In this week's episode, I answer questions about alien life, why the ISS is at its current altitude, and of course, many questions about black holes. 00:00 Start 00:11 How do we know it's life? 02:00 Could smaller planets form directly? 04:33 Any way to service Hubble? 05:55 Boost the station up? What does that mean? 07:18 If you went the speed of light to 10 light-years away... 08:40 Will we chan...

Another week, another Open Space. In this week's questions show, I talk about planets orbiting red dwarf stars, if planets could steal moons from each other, and whether or not the space shuttle should have ever been built. 02:58 Is Proxima Centauri C a gas giant? 05:22 How doomed are red dwarf planets? 07:37 Could a planet steal a moon? 10:25 Should we sent asteroids back to Earth to mine them? 1...

Astronomers have discovered thousands of exoplanets, and still need to confirm thousands more. And over the coming decades, we’ll probably learn of millions of planets, orbiting stars we’ve never heard of. That’s why it’s reassuring to know astronomers are learning a tremendous amount about the closest star system to our own, Proxima Centauri. In fact, we now know of two planets orbiting the red d...

Support Universe Today Podcast

Another week, another Open Space. This week I answer questions about what we might see in the next 5 decades. When dark matter will get debunked, and who will carry the Mars torch after Elon Musk passes away. 03:35 What will happen in the next 5 decades? 07:09 Will dark matter be debunked? 10:50 Who will carry the Mars torch after Elon? 13:17 Do I have a PhD? 14:33 Could civilizations be hiding in...

In this week's episode of Open Space, I talk with Dr. Jamie Molaro, a planetary scientist who helped discover that the surface of asteroid Bennu has rocks that crack because of the constant day/night cycle. Learn more about her work: https://twitter.com/spacejammie Our Book is out! https://www.amazon.com/Universe-Today-Ultimate-Viewing-Cosmos/dp/1624145442/ Audio Podcast version: ITunes: https://i...

I’d say half the astronomy-related videos on YouTube are all about black holes. Clearly, they’re a fascinating topic, but they’re also a mystery. How do you observe something that can absorb all the radiation and matter falling onto them, and nothing can ever escape? How do we know they’re really there, and what are the best observations we can make? Today I’m joined by Dr. Paul Sutter, a cosmolog...

In this week's questions show, I answer questions about how the International Space Station stays above the Earth's atmosphere, does dark matter need a better name? And how do astronomers know they're looking at exoplanets and not sunspots? Michael Rodruck with Pennsylvania State University https://sites.psu.edu/mrodruck/ 00:18 How does the ISS stay up? 01:54 Does dark matter need a better name? 0...

On Sunday, May 31st, 2020, a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley docked with the International Space Station. This was a tremendous accomplishment for SpaceX and NASA, giving the United States the capability of launching its own astronauts, and no longer relying on its Russian partners. This was the 5th time that US astronauts went into orbit on a new k...

Another week, another Open Space. This week, I answered questions about whether space-time could freeze, are standard candles like Type 1a supernovae still useful? And is the Great Attractor just a black hole? 04:33 Could spacetime freeze? 06:48 Any plans for solar observing in the star parties? 07:26 Are standard candles still useful? 14:15 Predicting future locations of planets? 15:26 Is the gre...

In this week's live Open Space, people wanted to know if solar sails really work, will we ever get close to the speed of light, what's the best way to get out of Venus' gravity well, and more? 01:46 Do solar sails really work? 02:48 Will we ever get close to the speed of light? 06:22 Best way to get off Venus? 08:45 What about the standard candle? 11:45 Why is it so hard to get to Mercury? 14:15 C...

In this week's questions show, I answer whether or not dark matter could become a black hole, how do we know the Universe is flat, and what would happen to the world's market for precious metals once we start mining asteroids? Natalie Hinkel, SWRI http://www.nataliehinkel.com/ Follow Natalie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/natalie_hinkel/ 00:26 Can dark matter turn into a black hole? 05:07 If the...

When you’re out in space, water is the most precious resource you can get your hands on. It can be used for air, water, to grow food, radiation shielding, and most importantly, as the propellant for your spacecraft. Exploration of the Moon has revealed that there’s a tremendous amount of water ice locked into the regolith, but it’s probably very difficult to access. But there are also permanently...

On a special time, we've got a special guest, Professor Martin Rees, a British cosmologist and astrophysicist. He's the Astronomer Royal and helped develop many of the modern theories of astronomy and cosmology. His latest book is On the Future: Prospects for Humanity, published in October, 2018. https://royalsociety.org/people/martin-rees-12156/ Our Book is out! https://www.amazon.com/Universe-To...

In this week's live QA, I explain why a black hole can have infinite density but not infinite gravity. Does your perception of time change due to your mass, and am I ever intimidated by the people I get to interview? 03:00 How can a singularity have infinite density and not infinite gravity? 06:02 Does your perception of time change due to your mass? 08:10 How do I feel about String Theory? 10:20...

The distances to other stars are depressingly enormous. Sure, it’s incredibly far to get to Mars, Jupiter, and even Pluto, but at least you can design a robotic spacecraft to make the journey and see the science results in your own lifetime. But in the case of other stars, interstellar flight times will take thousands and even tens of thousands of years to send just a robotic mission. Fortunately,...

This week's guest is Moiya McTier. You might know Moiya as one of the regular co-hosts on the Weekly Space Hangout. She's an astrophysicist and science communicator, working with Columbia's Cool Worlds Lab. Find out more: https://www.moiyamctier.com/ Our Book is out! https://www.amazon.com/Universe-Today-Ultimate-Viewing-Cosmos/dp/1624145442/ Audio Podcast version: ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com...

The Moon orbits around the Earth. The Earth orbits around the Sun. And out in the distant Universe, astronomers have found a system that takes this logical progression to its most extreme. There’s a system where a supermassive black hole with millions of times the mass of the Sun orbits another black hole with billions of times the mass of the Sun. How astronomers discovered this incredible intera...

In this week's live QA, I explain what's happening with Universe Today during the megavirus, what I think about the recently released UFO videos, how aliens could hide their existence, and if Starship will cause a Kessler Syndrome. 05:05 What about those UFO videos? 08:38 How could aliens hide their existence? 13:20 How does the Decadal Survey work? 14:12 Will Starship cause a Kessler Syndrome? 16...

This week's guest is DasValdez, a popular Twitch stream who covers all things Kerbal Space Space. Das has carried this love of space exploration and astronomy into the real world, with absolutely fascinating coverage of rocket launches and virtual tours of museums. Follow DasValdez on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/dasvaldez Our Book is out! https://www.amazon.com/Universe-Today-Ultimate-Viewing-Cos...

This week I'm joined by Dr. Kevin Peter Hand, the Pre-Project Scientist for the Europa Lander mission concept and Director of JPL's Ocean Worlds Lab to talk about the alien oceans located across the Solar System. Learn more about Dr. Hand here: https://science.jpl.nasa.gov/people/Hand/ His new book is out now: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691179513/alien-oceans Our Book is out!...

Dr. Pekka Janhunen is a researcher with the Finnish Meteorological Institute and the inventor of the Electric Solar Wind Sail concept, using the solar wind as a propulsion system for spacecraft. These could allow spacecraft to explore many regions of the Solar System without any onboard propellant at all. More information about Dr. Janhunen: https://space.fmi.fi/~pjanhune/ Learn more about the con...